Ten Books Set Outside the USA (and Canada and the UK)

I love this week’s topic for Top Ten Tuesdays! As a South African, I’m acutely aware of the importance of reading local and international books, but our market is mostly saturated by books from the USA and the UK (I love you guys, but representation matters!)

I have two prior lists with more or less the same topic (links provided at the end), so I will mention different books here. And also, I’m not selecting any South African books because I have a whole list of them here!

A book set in an alternate reality where the Great Library was never destroyed. I felt the book had some problems with character development, but I did enjoy it – especially the setting, and the fact that it was ABOUT BOOKS!!!

WWII books seem to be saturating the market, but I enjoyed this for its different setting and also the different plot, namely of inhabitants of East Prussia fleeing towards the many ships that hope to carry them to safety.

Reading this made me research Haiti because I clearly understood so little about its history. Danticat has a knack for relatable writing, even though her experiences are so different to mine. She finds common ground in our humanity, but illuminates her culture and history with wit and candour.

Now THAT would be living the dream, wouldn’t it!! Have you tried audiobooks (I’m not sure if I’ve asked you this before)? Ever since I started them I find that I don’t feel so miserable when I’m really busy, because at least I can listen to audiobooks on the way to and from work.

Oh, I wouldn’t worry – I just finished it last month! It’s a good book. I feel like it was a bit overhyped in the medical context – kind of a “you have to read this because you’re in medicine” kind of thing, whereas I think the beauty of this book really has nothing to with its medical aspect. I hope you’ll enjoy it!